ICMR FIVE FOOD GROUPS
Five Food Group Systems
| Food Group |
Main Nutrients |
I. Cereals, Grains and Products :
Rice, Wheat, Ragi, Bajra, Maize, Jowar, Barley, Rice flakes, Wheat Flour. |
Energy, protein, Invisible fat Vitamin B1, Vitamin – B2, Folic Acid, Iron, Fibre. |
II. Pulses and Legumes :
Bengal gram, Black gram, Green gram, Red gram, Lentil (whole as well as dhals) Cowpea, Peas, Rajmah, Soyabeans, Beans |
Energy, Protein, Invisible fat, Vitamin –B1, Vitamin – B2, Folic Acid, Calcium, Iron, Fibre. |
III. Milk and Meat Products :
Milk :
Milk, Curd, Skimmed milk,Cheese
Meat :
Chicken, Liver, Fish, Egg, Meat. |
Protein, Fat, Vitamin –B12, Calcium. Protein, Fat, Vitamin –B2 |
IV. Fruits and Vegetables :
Fruits :
Mango, Guava, Tomato Ripe, Papaya, Orange. Sweet Lime, Watermelon. |
Carotenoids, Vitamin –C, Fibre. |
Vegetables (Green Leafy) :
Amaranth, Spinach, Drumstick
leaves, Coriander leaves, Mustard
leaves, fenugreek leaves |
Invisible Fats, Carotenoids, Vitamin –
B2, Folic Acid, Calcium, Iron, Fibre. |
Other Vegetables :
Carrots, Brinjal, Ladies fingers, Capsicum, Beans, Onion, Drumstick, Cauliflower. |
Carotenoids, Folic Acid, Calcium, Fibre |
V. Fats and Sugars :
Fats :
Butter, Ghee, Hydrogenated oils,
Cooking oils like Groundnut,
Mustard, Coconut. |
Energy, Fat, Essential Fatty Acids |
Sugars :
Sugar, Jaggery |
Energy |
Significance of the five-food group system
The five food group system can be used for the following purposes :
i. Planning wholesome balanced menus to achieve nutritional adequacy.
ii. Assessing nutritional status – a brief diet history of an individual can disclose inadequacies of food and nutrients from any of the five groups. Based on the assessment, nutrition education can be imparted to the individual. |
